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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · stock · rest · cell · root · nail · bay · net

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stock — shares
  8. cell — in biology
  9. net — in sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. root — of a word
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rest — a break
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com